Draft gear rigging for railroad cars



Mmh s, 1966 v. s. DANIELSON ETA'. 3,239,073

DRAFT GEAR RIGGING FOR RAILROAD CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 27, 1964 INVENTORS s R 2 7 I- O o \O F Rv .N @HU` March 8, 1966 v. s. DANIELsoN ETAL 3,239,073

DRAFT GEAR RGGING FOR RAILROAD CARS Filed May 27, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Oiiice 3,239,073 Patented Mar. 8, 1966 3,239,073 DRAFT GEAR RIGGING FOR RAILROAD CARS Vernon S. Danielson, Chicago Heights, and Robert W. Gierlach, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Standard Car Truck Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 27, 1964, Ser. No. 370,432 6 Claims. (Cl. 213-21) This invention relates to draft gear rigging for railroad cars of the type disclosed in co-pending application Serial No. 208,540, filed July 9, 1962, for Draft Gear Rigging for Railroad Cars.

In an arrangement such as this, it is highly important that the coupler yokes and the compression member between them be maintained in proper alignment. It is also highly important that the coupler yoke be constrained so far as possible to travel along a path parallel with its axis. This promotes smoothness of operation and materially decreases wear and tear.

One object of the invention therefore is to provide means for maintaining the compression member and the yoke in alignment.

Another object is to provide means for limiting angular displacement of the coupler yoke and for constraining it so far as possible to longitudinal movement parallel with the central axis of the car.

Another object is to permit so far as possible angular displacement of the coupler shank with respect to the yoke, while minimizing angular displacement of the yoke with respect to the yoke supporting means in the car.

Another object is to provide an assembly in which wear of the coupler yoke and the guides and supporting elements is minimized.

Another object is to keep the draft gear yokes and the compression member in accurate and proper alignment throughout their entire operation.

Another object is to prevent wear of the parts which might result in misalignment.

Another object is to provide a structure low in first cost and maintenance which permits the use of standard parts in so far as possible, which structure is readily adaptable to standard railway car design and production, and can be applied to cars presently in existence.

Another object is to provide a coupler yoke which effectively receives the coupler shank and permits sufficient angular displacement of the shank with respect to the yoke.

Another object is to provide a unit end casting which includes guide means for the coupler yoke and is reenforced at the points of greatest load.

Other objects will appear from time -to time throughout the specication and claims.

The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view in part horizontal section of a railroad car draft gear and associated parts;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation in part vertical section of the assembly of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a section along the line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a section along the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a section along the line 5 5 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a section along the line 6 6 of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view in part horizontal section on an enlarged scale of the draft gear yoke shown in the other figures;

FIGURE 8 is a longitudinal section through the yoke of FIGURE 7 at right angles to the section plane of FIGURE 7.

Like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the specification and drawings.

A U-shaped center sill 1 extends from end to end of the car and abuts at each end, though in this case, in the yinterest of clarity only one end `of the car is shown, on a unit end casting 2, the center sill being welded or riveted, as the case may be, to 4the end casting. The unit end casting includes a 'center plate 3 extending downwardly to engage a center plate not shown on the truck. The center pin 4 extends upwardly from the car truck to maintain center pla-te 3 and the car truck in pivotal working relation in the usual manner. A guide sleeve 6 preferably of rectangular Icross section extends longitudinally of and is integral with the end casting immediately above the center plate 3, the center plate 3 extending downwardly below the center sill. The unit end casting is thu-s at its inboard end a rigid integral box section structure closed at the top, bottom and sides above the center plate.

The unit end casting 2 at its outboard end terminates in a striker 7. For a substantial distance inwardly, that is, toward the center plate, the outboard box section of the end casting is closed at `the bottom as indicated at 8. Between the outboard and inboard box sections of the end casting the casting has a top wall 9 and yside walls 10 and is open at the bottom as indicated in FIGURE 4. FIGURES 3 and 5 thus clearly show the reenforced box structure at each end of the unit end casting and the U- shaped downwardly open structure intermediate these two box ends. The side walls 10 are `outwardly flanged at 11 in alignment with the flanges 12 on the center sill.

The side walls 10 in the outboard box section of the end casting are horizontally and longitudinally slo-tted at 13 to receive as will hereafter appear, the coupler shank key 14, and the slots 13 are encircled by integral reenforcing flanges 15. A wear plate 16 is permanently mounted on the floor S, being generally co-extensive in length with the outboard box sec-tion. A carrier or floor plate 17 is bolted to the flange 11 adjacent the outboard box section of the end casting and carries a wear plate 18. The wear plate 18 terminates short of the inboard box section and between the plate and the box section. The walls 10 decrease in height as at 19.

The top and bottom Walls 8 and 9 of the outboard box portion of the end casting are reenforced by longitudinally extending flanges 20 and 21. The top wall 9 immediately above the inboard end of the wear plate 18 is thickened as at 22. A web extends radially at the end of the inboard box section from the guide sleeve 6 to provide an integral buing lug 23. A cradle or tray 24 such as disclosed in co-pending -application Serial No. 208,540 rests upon the wear plate 1S, is recessed at its inboard end at 25 to receive the inboard follower plate 26, which is of such height as to just clear the thickened portion 22 ofthe top Wall 9 so that as the inboard follower plate and cradle move back and forth, the inboard follower plate is unable to escape from its socketed to recessed relationship with the cradle.

The cradle 24 carries a draft cushion 27 which abuts on the rear follower plate 26, the cushion housing being generally spherical to interlock with the spherical cavity in such plate. A forward follower plate 28 travels along the wear plate 18 and is spherically recessed to receive the outboard end 29 of the draft cushion, the cradle 24 supporting draft cushion in general alignment with the two follower plates.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate on a large scale the draft yoke, an essential part of the assembly, which includes an inboard yoke lug 30 which is preferably of square cross section to enter the guide sleeve 6. Parallel, vertical yoke straps extend forwardly from and are integral with the yoke base 32 which is integral with the lug 30. The base 32, the straps 31 for most of their length, and the lug 30 are all of the same vertical height. The base 32 extenends horizontally perpendicular to the yoke lug such distance that the straps 31 are spaced apart to enclose the draft cushion 27. The straps 31 toward their outboard ends increase downwardly in vertical height, as indicated at 33. At their outboard ends the straps are joined by an integral lower horizontal yoke floor 34, which carries a fixed wear plate 35 on its undersurface to engage a wear plate 16 on the wall 8. The widened portions of straps 31 `are slotted at 37 to provide key slots to receive the coupler key 14 and the slotted portions of the straps are thickened, as indicated at 3S, about the slots 37. Adjacent the extreme outboard end of the yoke straps they are also joined together by an integral top wall 39.

A coupler shank 40 is socketed in, extends longitudinally of the yoke and is slotted as at 41 to receive the coupler shank key 14. Thus shank yoke and end casting are held together in working relationship by the key 14, relative movement being permitted by the key slots as indicated. The coupler shank 40 has a lower wear plate 42a sliding on an upper wear plate 42 on the fioor 34. The coupler shank also has an upper wear plate 43 which is adapted to be engaged by pressure plate 44 urged downwardly by a pressure plate spring 45, as disclosed in copending application Serial No. 208,540.

There is a draft gear or hydraulic cushioning unit such as disclosed in these drawings at each end of the car. Each draft gear is totally independent in draft as the coupler shank moves to the left in FIGURES l and 2. The key in the coupler shank applies draft to the yoke to move it to the left so that the inboard follower plate engaged by the yoke base 32 urges the cradle and the cushion to the left. The outboard end of the cushion moves the forward follower plate into engagement with the draft lug 46 which is supported and reenforced by the ribs 20 and 21. The cradle and yoke travel to the left as the cushion compresses under draft in the usual manner.

In buff, the coupler shank abuts the forward follower plates, moves the cushion, the cradle and yoke toward the right as the yoke lug 30 abuts the end of the tubular compression member 47 in the guide sleeve 6 to move it to the left and apply pressure to a similar yoke lug 30 on the draft gear at the other end of the car. During this time, the cushion 27 is being compressed and that is also true of a similar cushion in the draft at the other end of the car. The yoke base 32 in the buff end of the car may move as far inboard as to be stopped by the bufiing lug 23. At that point, no further pressure can be applied to the compression member 47 but the cushion 27 may continue to be compressed to its maximum closed position.

FIGURE 6 discloses the particular relationship between the tubular compression member 47 and the guide blocks in the box structure which hold the compression member in alignment with the yoke lug 30. Other guide members may be spaced along the car to hold the compression member 47 in alignment. Their details forming no part of the invention are not illustrated.

As the compression member 47 applies pressure to the yoke lug at the other end of the car, the lug and yoke move away from the source of pressure until its outboard follower plate engages its draft lug 46 and the cushion is compressed.

Thus the cushion in each draft gear operates` in tandem to absorb the buing load.

The thickened portion of the outboard end of the draft yoke where the key slots are reenforced defines a generally parallel sided pocket 49 to receive the coupler shank 40. On the outboard end of this parallel sided pocket 49 the vertical walls of the yoke are outwardly iiared as at 50 to permit limited horizontal annular displacement of the coupler shank with respect to the yoke to prevent binding, and the outboard ends of the loke are thickened as indicated for reenforcement at the point of maximum stress.

The two box sections at the inboard and outboard ends of the casting are important because they properly guide and position the inboard and outboard ends of the yoke. The removable iioor plate which closes the open bottom of the U is essential to permit assembly but when in position defines also the box section which guides and positions the follower plates so that they cannot bounce or jump under impact or road vibration out of their respective proper positions.

We have used the term end casting because such structures are usually integral casting. They could, of course be assembled by welding or even by riveting and it is intended that the term end casting in the specification and claims be interpreted broadly enough to cover any device such as that disclosed whether cast, welded or otherwise assembled.

We claim:

1. In combination, a rail road car end casting having integral inboard and outboard box sections adjacent its ends and downwardly open between such sections, a licor plate removably mounted on the casting between the box sections, a draft yoke supported at opposite ends only in the box sections for movement longitudinally of the end casting, the draft yoke including parallel spaced vertical straps, a tray slidably supported by the oor plate below the yoke, a draft cushion loosely resting on the tray between the straps, a rear follower plate between the straps interlocking with the tray and adapted to be compressed between `the inboard end of the draft cushion and the yoke, a forward follower plate between the straps resting on the fioor plate engaging the outboard end of the draft cushion, a draft lug carried by the outboard box section and a buffing lug carried by the inboard draft section in the path respectively of the forward and rear follower plates.

2. A draft yoke for railroad car draft gears including a yoke base, a yoke lug extending rearwardly and parallel spaced vertical yoke straps extending forwardly therefrom, the outboard ends of the straps being slotted to receive a draft key, a horizontal floor joining the lower edges of the straps, extending from the inboard ends of the slots to the outboard ends of the straps, a horizontal top wall joining the upper edges of the straps between the slots and the outboard strap ends,

the straps being horizontally thickened between the inboard ends of the slots and the outboard ends of the straps,

the thickened portions of the straps defining a pocket having parallel vertical side walls in register with the slots and outwardly tapered vertical side walls between the outboard ends of the slots and the outboard ends of the straps.

3. A draft gear yoke including two spaced parallel vertically disposed yoke straps, a yoke base joining the inboard ends of the straps, a yoke lug extending from the base away from the straps, the height and width of the lug being substantially the same as the height of the base, the space between lthe straps being greater than the width of the lug, the vertical height of the straps for a substantial portion of their length being equal to the vertical height of the lug, the vertical dimension of the straps near their outboard end being increased downwardly, the straps being horizontally slotted in such area of increased vertical dimension, a horizontal fioor joining the lower edges of the straps in such increased dimensional area,

a horizontal floor joining the upper edges of the straps in the area between the outboard ends of the slots and the outboard ends of the straps.

4. An end casting for railroad car center sills having top and side walls to define a downwardly open U-shaped section intermediate its ends, a removable floor plate closing such open section, a draft yoke mounted for longitudinal movement in said casting out of contact with the oor plate, a draft cushion partially enclosed within the,

5 yoke, forward and rear follower plates engaging opposite ends'of the cushion, the height between the under surface of the top wall of the casting and the removable oor being just suicient to provide clearance for movement of the follower plates parallel to t-he axis of the yoke.

5. A draft yoke for railroad car draft Vgears including la yoke base, parallel spaced vertical yoke straps extending forwardly therefrom, a yoke lug extending rearwardly from the base, the width of the lug being less than the distance between the outer walls of the straps, the height of .the lug being substantially equal to the -height of the straps at the base, the straps being outwardly and inwardly :thickened adjacent their outboard ends, the straps being horizontally slotted through their thickened outboard ends to receive a draft key, the slots extending forwardly from the inner limits of the thickened strap portions and terminating short of t-he outboard end of the yoke, the thickened portions of the straps defining .a coupler yoke receiving pocket increasing in width horizontally from the slots to the outboard end of the yoke.

6. A draft yoke for railroad car draft gears including a yoke base, parallel spaced vertical yoke straps extending forwardly therefrom, a yoke lug extending rearwardly from the base, the width of the lug being less than the distance between the outer walls of the straps, the height of the lug being substantially equal to the height of the straps at the base, the straps Vbeing outwardly and inwardly thickened adjacent their outboard ends, the straps being horizontally slotted through their thickened outboard ends t-o receive .a draft key, the slots extending forwardly from the inner limits of the thickened strap portions and terminating short of the outboard end of the yoke, the thickened portions of the straps defining a coupler yoke receiving pocket increasing in width horizontally from the slots to the outboard end of the yoke,

a horizontal floor joining the lower edges of the straps extending from the inboard ends of the slots to the outboard end of Vthe yoke, a vertical floor joining the upper edges of the straps extending inwardly from the outboard end of the yoke and terminating short of the slots.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,612,485 12/1926 Blest 213-69 1,882,837 10/1932 Haseltine 213-60 1,986,439 1/1935 Kinne 213-71 2,841,295 6/ 1958 Blattner 213-72 3,159,283 12/1964 Peterson 213-21 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A RAIL ROAD CAR END CASTING HAVING INTEGRAL INBOARD AND OUTBOARD BOX SECTIONS ADJACENT ITS ENDS AND DOWNWARDLY OPEN BETWEEN SUCH SECTIONS, A FLOOR PLATE REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON THE CASTING BETWEEN THE BOX SECTIONS, A DRAFT YOKE SUPPORTED AT OPPOSITE ENDS ONLY IN THE BOX SECTIONS FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY OF THE END CASTING, THE DRAFT YOKE INCLUDING PARALLEL SPACED VERTICAL STRAPS, A TRAY SLIDABLY SUPPORTED BY THE FLOOR PLATE BELOW THE YOKE, A DRAFT CUSHION LOOSELY RESTING ON THE TRAY BETWEEN THE STRAPS, A REAR FOLLOWER PLATE BETWEEN THE STRAPS INTERLOCKING WITH THE TRAY AND ADPATED TO BE COMPRESSED BETWEEN THE INBOARD END OF THE DRAFT CUSHION AND THE YOKE, A FORWARD FOLLOWER PLATE BETWEEN THE STRAPS RESTING ON THE FLOOR PLATE ENGAGING THE OUTBOARD END OF THE DRAFT CUSHION, A DRAFT LUG CARRIED BY THE OUTBOARD BOX SECTION AND A BUFFING LUG CARRIED BY THE INBOARD DRAFT SECTION IN THE PATH RESPECTIVELY OF THE FORWARD AND REAR FOLLOWER PLATES. 